Key-fastener



N0 Model.)

T. D. YATES.

KEY FASTENER.

No. 430,501. Patented June 17, 1890.

E a wmw wg/ll/mulmwmgwwm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THOMAS D. YATES, OF CHICAGO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO EDIVIN J. LEARNED, OF LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS.

KEY-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,501, dated June 17, 1890.

Application filed January 30, 1890. Serial No. 838,568. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAs D. YATES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention relates specially to escutcheons for looks of doors and other locks and the object of the invention is to provide a device which will hold the key when it has been inserted into the lock and prevent it from dropping out by the jar of shutting the door, or otherwise, whereby it may be lost, and also which will lock the key into the door, so that it cannot be removed therefrom from the outside, and though the invention is specially designed for escutcheons which are applied to the key-holes of doors furnished with mortise-locks, yet it will be understood that it is also applicable to many other classes of locks. Heretofore many devices for the same purpose have been made, which are operated by the key when inserted in the lock, and also devices have been proposed which are affixed to the cscutcheons or to the outside of the door and which lock the key when it has once beeninserted; but the present invention aims to secure this result in a simple and effectual manner, and to provide a device which does not destroy the symmetrical appearance of an escutcl1eon,and which is operated by the hand and not by the key after the key has been inserted; and the invcntion comprises the detail construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a face View of an escutcheon embody.- ing this invention with the device in position to permit the key to be inserted. Fig. 2 shows the device with the locking-plate turned so that the key cannot be removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line X X of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4shows a modified form of the device.

A is a circular locking-plate turning within a rim 0, and provided with a key-hole opening A, and with one or more projecting lugs A, by means of which the plate can be turned.

E is the escutcheon-plate proper, or it may represent the side of the ease of .a lock to which the rim O is attached by screws O or otherwise, and which plate is provided with the ordinary key-hole opening e. The rim C is beveled inwardly at its inner edge, and acorresponding bevel is formed on the outer edge of plate A, whereby the parts are made to fit snugly together. The circular part of the key-hole openings designed to receive the shank of the key in both plates register with each other at all times, and said part of the key-hole opening in the plate A comes at the center thereof, so that said plate can revolve about the shank of the key when the key is inserted.

c, Fig. 3, are screw-holes for affixing the escutcheon to a door, or the screws 0, which hold the rim C, may also be employed to attach the escutcheon to a door, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the device constructed as shown in Fig. 4: the lock is struck with a rim and with lips c, which are bent down over the plate A. The escutcheon is attached by means of the screws shown dotted in the figure, and the latter are inserted through the key-hole opening A of the plate A by turning it so that it uncovers the respective screw-holes.

To put the key into the lock the key-plate A is turned so that the respective key-holes register with each other, and after the key has been inserted the plate A is readily revolved until its key-hole is clear 6f the keyhole in the plate E, as shown in Fig. 2, and the key is then secured so thatit cannot drop out or be forced out from the opposite side of the door.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains, and it will be particularly observed that the locking-plate has its central opening continuously coincident with that of the stationary key-hole plate, and that by making the latter plate stationary and providing it with acontinuous overhanging rim or flange for loosely securing the locking"- plate less material is required for the completed article, and it Will also be seen that the entire device can be removed by removing the securing'screws of the stationary keyhole plate.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with an inner stationary key-hole plate, of a movable key-locking plate, having a central opening and lug or lugs, and the overhanging rim holding said key-locking plate against said key-hole plate, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS D. YATES.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM F. BoDE, ARTHUR J. COOK. 

